Chapter 20- Air Raid 3

Thud.

“Ugh…?!” Yoo Il-am screamed as he landed hard on his rear. His shattered jaw trembled in sync, doubling the pain. There was no time to glare or protest.

“You’re on your own now.” Choi Kang-sik, having released Yoo Il-am’s collar, headed inside the building. The Monster Association headquarters wasn’t only inhabited by hunters.

‘There are far more civilians.’ He didn’t care if the hunters lived or died. Rights and obligations went hand in hand. All the privileges they enjoyed included hazard pay. They had to work as much as they were compensated.

What about civilians? Just because it was a world where monster murders were rampant didn’t mean it was okay for them to die indiscriminately. A nation desensitized to the death of its citizens would not survive. Choi Kang-sik declared his noble intentions.

“It’s too early to relax. This trap has a prerequisite: all citizens inside the headquarters must move to the safe underground shelter. I fought alone to buy time for that. But…”

“H-help me!” The receptionist was cowering and trembling under a table. Her pretty face was a mess of tears and snot.

“You’re safe now.” Choi Kang-sik offered a saintly smile.

“Thank you! Sniff!” The young man, who took her hand and helped her up as her legs gave out, spoke in a solemn tone. “The association hasn’t been doing its job properly.” He said that for the association to hear.

• Déjà vu of the pretty girl... -.-
• lol Where are all the association bastards?
• Wow! The taxes I paid are a waste.
• MS. You can do it! \ (^0^)/

‘The side of the innocent and weak is always right!’ Choi Kang-sik, showered with the cheers and donations of viewers, moved through various parts of the Monster Association headquarters. Crossroads forced choices.

‘I can’t tell where people are trapped…’

“Caw!” No problem. The young Oracle chose only the directions it deemed “auspicious.” And without fail, there were people who needed a helping hand.

‘This is also auspicious in its own way!’ Because his reputation was skyrocketing.

Bang!

The wall, which had been perfectly fine just moments ago, was destroyed.

“Oink!” A Pig-尊 burst out of the broken wall.

“Squeal?!” But it immediately retreated. Before the people Choi Kang-sik had rescued could even scream in surprise, the shovel plunged into the monster’s forehead.

Thud.

The Pig-尊 collapsed, spewing blood.

“As I said repeatedly, this is a trap. The sturdily built headquarters building cannot be easily destroyed even by monsters. Therefore, the corridors and ceilings, fitted for human stature, are too cramped for them.” Their movement was restricted. So they had to lower their heads. Choi Kang-sik had merely stuck his shovel into the heads of such monsters.

[A certain God says it’s boring]

[A certain God is bored]

‘This is a strategy too, you know?!’ With the added geographical advantage, one or two Pig-尊 were no threat to Choi Kang-sik. Was that why? The Oracle’s left head was as quiet as a new bride. What about its right head?

“Caw!” It was extremely busy.

“Thank you so much!”

“Sob, sob! I lost my mom.”

“I was in the bathroom doing my business…”

The Oracle even detected and informed him about a child hiding in a ventilation shaft. That’s why not a single casualty had occurred so far. Choi Kang-sik was truly grateful.

‘I was a little worried.’ Although he was broadcasting in a calm tone to reassure people, he was genuinely doing his best to rescue them. What if there were casualties? Someone would hold him responsible for luring the monsters. Emotional appeals didn’t yield to rational logic. The premise was flawed from the start.

“Hunters and the association holed up in a building during a national crisis? They must be out of their minds. If the Pig-尊 had gone into the city, a major disaster would have occurred.” So, he laid out some bait beforehand! Choi Kang-sik maintained the live broadcast and hurried the rescue.

‘This isn’t a trick I can use often.’ First of all, he was tired. He could feel his reputation soaring, but the risk of failure was also too great. All that burden accumulated as fatigue.

• Wow! There are still so many.
• MS-nim. Please find my girlfriend too. ㅠ
• XXX. Find your own woman.
• Why live? lololol
• Is that true? Give me her number. -.-^

…Normally, that is. If even one or two gruesome corpses killed by Pig-尊 had appeared, the broadcast, which would have long since sunk, was as harmonious as a picnic. Was this what it meant to walk on a path of flowers?

“Caw!” This was all thanks to the Oracle.

‘…Wait. Left?’ A Pig-尊 couldn’t be an ill omen. Because it posed no threat to him. To him… Choi Kang-sik threw himself towards the people following him and shouted loudly,

“Bunch up here! Now!”

Crash!

As soon as his order fell, the wall and ceiling collapsed.

“Oiiiiink-!” A Pig-尊 burst out. It hadn’t waddled through the cramped corridor.

‘A descent?!’ The creature, plunging diagonally from the sky, was an avatar of destruction. The force, amplified by gravitational acceleration, was truly immense.

“Mommy!”

“Eek!”

“Save me-!”

The people gathered behind him screamed in despair and squeezed their eyes shut. Impact in 2 seconds, 1 second, 0 seconds…. Choi Kang-sik did not dodge.

“Haaah!” He roared, swinging the shovel, held tightly with both hands, horizontally.

‘You, something like you…!’ This wasn’t a grudge to be simply interfered with. The 5-star monster, Blade. Failure would not be tolerated until its limbs were torn apart. He couldn’t let the people he had just rescued die. Choi Kang-sik needed them. The support of the citizens. Furthermore, he needed the support of the world.

A monster that grew stronger with more enemies. This was due to Blade’s special characteristic. To create a 1-on-1 situation with it, the cooperation of citizens, not nations or organizations, was extremely important. Hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands… The influence to clear out even a city if necessary. Choi Kang-sik wanted that. Because if even one person interfered in the battle, as MS Han Jo-seop had done before, he couldn’t win.

So,

“Don’t interfere!” Whether monster or human, if they interfered, he would strike them down!

Smash!

Thwack!

Two powerful forces collided.

“Squeal?!” The Pig-尊, having been slapped by the shovel and knocked off its descent trajectory, grazed past them. It continued to pierce through to the floor below.

“Gasp?!”

“What now?!”

“Aaah!”

Screams of hunters continuously echoed from beneath the broken floor, but Choi Kang-sik turned away as if it was none of his business. This wasn’t the time to worry about others.

Drip, drip, drip…

Blood steadily streamed from his torn grip. His right arm dangled, as if dislocated somewhere.

“Are you okay?”

“Young man. Are you alright?”

“Because of us…”

They looked at him worriedly. Choi Kang-sik glanced at the camera angle before speaking.

“It hurts a lot. Of course I’m not okay, am I? But just seeing all of you safe makes me feel rewarded. Thank you.”

[A certain God gags]

[A certain God scolds]

No, why are you doing this, when we’re all players who know better?